This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
What type of legacy do you want to leave for future generations?
Lately I have felt pretty defeated when it comes to the idea of leaving a legacy.
We can’t have kids naturally, which makes the whole leaving things behind to people hard! At one point we decided to adopt three siblings ages 2, 4 and 6. But after a year and a half process, the adoption failed due to a lot of unethical insanity in the system. As a result, we also decided to close the door on future adoption opportunities.
So what possible legacy can I leave in my situation? I have no kids, no plans for future kids. I have lots of stuff and a will that’s designed to get rid of all the things when we leave this world.
How to be a legacy maker. Hint: it's not about leaving behind your stuff, it's about JESUS! Share on XIs leaving a legacy behind just about leaving people your stuff?
life isn’t just about the stuff we leave behind in this world, but the imprint of Jesus that lasts forever. Oh how I desire to leave a strong imprint on others!
I did this cool Bible study with a group of ladies from my church called “Keys to Freedom” from Nancy Alcorn. It helped me let go of some of the baggage from an abusive childhood.
We all have baggage that weighs us down.
If you grew up in an abusive or dysfunctional home, “Keys To Freedom” is a study worth looking into. It talks about how all the icky stuff from our childhood leaves an imprint on our lives and we pass that stuff along to the people we meet daily, unless we make the choice to let all the bad stuff go and find freedom in Christ from our past hurts.
Don’t you want to live free in Christ Jesus?
Of course you do. We all do.
But we keep our schedules too busy and our minds too active to just rest in the Lord and heal the hurts from our past.
And if you also happen to have a present-day relationship with someone who adds to your pile of hurts, the emotional baggage keeps adding up and weighing you down.
Jesus can set us free!
We all need to choose freedom!
“So if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
Leave a legacy of freedom!
So back to the legacy thing. After a lot of prayer and thought, this is the legacy I choose to leave this world –
- I am a woman who passionately loves Jesus!
- I will put God first above all else, even when pressure comes from others to knock Him down the list.
- My love for Jesus will be lived out through my compassion for others, especially in their times of need.
- I will embrace peace in my daily life and spread peace to others.
- I will serve others well and do my best to give out grace in abundance to those who do me harm.
- I choose to love those who hurt me, even the ones who aren’t sorry for the pain they have caused.
I think it so important for us to remember that even our desire to leave a Godly legacy comes with healthy, firm boundaries to ensure others don’t take advantage of our Kingdom-focused hearts.
5 Keys To Leaving A Godly Legacy
- Live for Jesus
- Study God’s Word
- Pray often
- Forgive others
- Admit when you mess up
It’s certainly not a comprehensive list, but it’s a great place to start!
(Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase by clicking through and using our links. Read our disclosure policy here.)